Hoben (方便) / Upaya — (2)

Most of the books I refer to, are I brought from Japan and unless I need to find

the English word, I do not look into Wiki kind. —– So, I tell you the truth,

until few days ago, I didn’t know that there a Sanskrit word for Hoben (方便), Upaya

existed.   In Japan Hoben is a widely used word spread out of the Buddhism,

which has an extended meaning of “convenient mean” or “easy alternative” kind,

and the original Buddhist context was masked by those common usage.

Lord Buddha’s witty teachings, which was timely and suit to the occasion, or to

the person speaking to, is a well known stories, hence those witty talk style has

been adapted by the Zen talk, or even by the children’s comic book “Ikkyu-san”.

As its casual use became so common, we almost forgotten it had a Buddhism origin.

—– So that, to find this word, “Upaya” really surprised me, not because of its

meaning but the attitude, the ancient monk did created a dedicated nickname for 

Lord Buddha’s talking style, yet still, they couldn’t find the meaning of

Lord Buddha’s silence.

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Do you talk about the prostitute or prostitution in public ? I don’t think you do.

It’s a dirty talk and officially, it’s not exist in your life.  And if it’s not in the society,

neither a word prostitution exists.   It’s mean, even if anybody asked about it, you

can not understand what it mean nor able to answer.

To Lord Buddha, talking about Atman or Self never happened, because no such things

of the Self exists and to talk about a thing which is not exists was nothing but a 

delusion and it is a dirty talk.   Because of it is not exists and as he doesn’t have, it was 

no use to make a question about the Self or its reincarnation to him, because 

he wouldn’t answer anyway, since even no word, no notion was there.

= This was the reason why, to those questions, there was no answer from

Lord Buddha at all.

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And when the teaching was related to the Self, there was no explanatory words

but to show the practice which would lead to the “Selfless State of the mind” —–

or just to give a smile, otherwise (if you can’t get it), the excommunication.

(This was the reason why no explanation of “No Self” was in the scripture.

—– either it was omitted because of the conflict with the Hinduism or it couldn’t

be written down because, no such things like a Self exists.)

(In Buddhism, especially in Zen, there is nothing between Yes and No.

Yes mean 200% commitment but if it was No, even a word No itself is no longer exist.

= it is not a denial or even an argument but a total erasure = the subject, the matter

is completely disappeared. = hence no psychological conflict.

When no-self, there is even no subject, who is thinking the matter.)

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HOBEN (方便) / Upaya — in Buddhism

In one before previous post, “Why live”, the author of the book Dr. Ogoshi was

saying that the Hoben (方便) (upaya = Sanskrit) = the mean or way (to lead others to

the Enlightenment) as the vital part of the human relation therefore that makes

the Reason to live.

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Among the religions, the only one asking the followers “to understand (the matter)”

is the Buddhism.   All others need just believe what was said or written.

With this reason, only the Buddhism having a notion of Direct transmission or

Hoben/upaya  and the Pathway.   All those are just the mean and the process. —–

Why those mean or process was talked about, but not the goal itself was = that

because, the goal couldn’t be explained, even if anybody knows. Because, it is Void.

Indeed, it’s a funny religion and the strange deal = on the end, you may get the Void

at its best.   If it was short of best, you get nothing.   Get nothing, yet even if you did

the best, get Void !  —– How Fantastic ! ! !

( at least the another religion is promising the heaven or paradise kind of good deal!

— whether it was fraud or not in the eyes of  Advertising Standard Authority.)

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In the famous Kisa Gotami story, what she was instructed was to obtain the

mustard seeds from the house never had bereavement. — After knocking all

the doors in the village, and running all the day, she was convinced that the

bereavement is the truth of human existence. —– The advice of

Lord Buddha, “To save the dead child, it need to get the mustard seeds” was not

necessary true though, the action she took, definitely brought her the enlightenment

and helped her to overcome a sorrow of the lost child. —– And to give such a good

advice and lead the person to get enlightened IS the Mahayana Buddhist duty.

(It must be much harder to enlighten the other.   Who got the brain of

Lord Buddha, in this world today ? ! )

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PS:  In the mainstream Buddhism, Kisa Gotami’s story

was understood only as a sample of Hoben shown by

Lord Buddha.   But, what I’ve been talking about is, its contributory effect of

“Repeating Actions” (running and knocking all the doors  next by next) to her

brain function.  = (Repeating input to the brain lead the apathetic response =

input would be handled emotionally detached = this is all about

the Buddhist’s practice and the VOID in the mind.)

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